Michael Masley

Michael Masley, American instrumentalist and composer; b. Trenton, Michigan, September 22, 1952. He studied creative writing at Northwestern Michigan College (1970-72); in 1973 began working with hammered dulcimer player Bob Spinner, who became a mentor. He played using traditional 2-hammer technique until 1979; during months at a fishing lodge in northern Michigan, he developed a 10-fingered "finger-hammer" technique. In 1982 he engaged the dulcimer maker William Webster of Detroit to make him a cymbalom (a large chromatic concert dulcimer); he added violin bows to the finger hammers in 1983, creating his unique "bowhammers." In 1982 he moved to Palo Alto, California, where he met guitarist Barry Cleveland (1983); they performed as the duo Thin Ice, releasing the recordings Thin Ice Live (1984) and 1st Frost (1985); he also played on Cleveland's later albums, Mythos (1986) and Voluntary Dreaming (1990); moved to Berkeley, California in 1985. His own recordings include Cymbalom Solos (1985), The Moment's River (1987), Bells & Shadows (1989), and Mystery Loves Company (1990). His innovative cymbalom technique enables the player to strike, bow, or pluck notes with all 10 fingers in any combination. The resulting timbral distinctions are used to create unuaually complex contrapuntal textures for a solo instrument, to which he often adds pitched and tunable percussion instruments.

Known for the distinctive "bowhammer" technique that he himself originated, Michael Masely is a master of the cymbalom-a modern orchestral (Hungarian) version of the hammered dulcimer, an instrument that made its debut in Persia as the santour around 2500 years ago. The instrument's trapezoid shape and distinctive sound-which comes from playing the instrument with two hand-held hammers-have been an important part of world history and culture for over two millennia. Masley's innovative technique adds thumbpicks to the traditional playing style, which enables plucking, striking, and bowing of this ancient instrument.

Michael Masley's music has been heard in a diverse array of venues and contexts including original contributions to the soundtrack to Geronimo: An American Legend, on which he worked with guitar legend Ry Cooder. Masley has also recorded with producer and Garbage drummer Butch Vig and appears on the multi-platinum Garbage Version 2.0.

In addition to impressive collaborations, Masley's music has been heard in NFL broadcasts, The 1994 Winter Olympics, Entertainment Tonight, HBO programming, and most recently-in Martin Yernazian's upcoming documentary, Art Officially Favored by Pyrotecnia Productions. Masley's also been profiled by NPR's All Things Considered where excerpts from his CD, Mystery Repeats Itself, still occasionally surface in their programming. His song "Six White Horses" is featured on the All Songs Considered CD, published by NPR Classics.

Michael is also active politically as "The Artist General", a self-created position (similar to the Surgeon General) he has created to represent the interests of artists in the USA.